The Pendulum 1974

Alexander Calder made "The Pendulum" with paint, and I’m guessing, a brush, in 1974. The immediacy of the color and mark-making really grabs you. Calder wasn't trying to hide the process, he seems to be saying "here it is!". And what is 'it'? A glorious playground of shapes and colors. Look at that juicy yellow background, it's like sunshine on a summer day. The black lines are bold and confident, but there's a playful wobble to them. Take for instance those pendulums down in the bottom right - each brushstroke is visible, the paint sits on the surface, a little blobby, like he wanted you to feel the movement of his hand. I see something of Miro in this, that same joyful sense of freedom, and embrace of the unexpected. It feels like Calder is inviting us to play, to see the world with fresh eyes, and not to take things too seriously.